We started with Two Siblings, a sister and a brother, in Europe on LDS missions at the same time. Sister Nicole Packer has returned home, as has her brother, Elder Jacob Packer. Sister Kori Hansen (we claim her as our daughter!) is now serving in the London England South Mission, and Sister Lydia Packer is serving in the Washington Seattle Mission--we have Two Siblings out again!

Wednesday, June 26, 2013

K
seriously. Another full week that feels like a year has gone by. So
cool! Days feel like weeks and weeks feel like days. THE weirdest
feeling ever. But I love being a missionary!
Family,
I LOVED the package! Danielle, THANK YOU for the cookies!! I loved
them :D. Oh, family, you'll also be "proud" to read that I've had more
sugar in the MTC than probably any time of my LIFE. I'm
enjoying my food haha :). Ok, and anyone reading this, send
missionaries packages. It's better than Christmas as many RM's know
:).

Story for you. Two days ago (June 24) was busy as usual, but
especially hard because I'd felt the prompting to make a change that was
seemingly unimportant. You know that feeling that you get when things
and the "flow" of your day/week just doesn't click? Like you get up, do
everything, but you just forget a few things that are SO important etc
etc? Monday
was like that. I was very obedient, but could STILL feel this "off"
feeling.
I thought back to that thing I needed to change and finally decided
to take action and shift. I talked to one of my German teachers about
it for like the third time and, NOT kidding, SECONDS after we talked, I
hear from our district leader (who picks up the mail) that there's a small
package for me. I go back into our classroom and find a small envelope
package from Sister KING from Espania!! Of all people, your best
friend who's also on a mission is one of the best you can hear from. I
knew immediately that it was a sign from the Lord that choosing to
follow that ever so slight prompting was another puzzle piece of being
exactly obedient. Father knew that I was testing out and learning
exactly WHAT being exactly obedience entails. I was overcome with joy
and peace. Ok, for the LIFE of me I couldn't find that scripture that
says, As soon as you follow the spirit, He doth immediately bless you in D&C.
But THAT one is what came to mind. I know the Lord wants us to see and
understand that being obedient is a HAPPY thing! It's not to aggravate
us. I knew that, but I'm now seeing it in the woodwork.

But there's
more! We went and retrieved a package that I'd been waiting to pick up for FOUR days. If you are ANYONE, that's an eternity. But me and my two comps
seriously could not find the time to go and get it. That's not an
accident. I know that the work and our lives run with a fluidity that only the Spirit provides when we're doing exactly what WE KNOW we should
do. He teaches us along the way and expects nothing more than that.
There's a quote by Cecil something (used to be a president at BYU) [President Samuelson] that
basically says, 'Just as we're not entitled to lower the standard the
Lord has set, we're also not entitled to raise it.' Do what you can,
pray, and have HOPE that you never need to put on that face that
everything is ok but it's really not.

Fetching, if you're trying to do
everything yourself, cut yourself some slack and take a chill. That's
what the Atonement's for. And God's Grace. I've known that, but I'm seeing
it again in finer print. I'm definitely not pushing myself to do more
than I'm able and the work is not overwhelming. It's like every person
has a certain distance in a race that's unique for them and they
try to run more or less that what that race entails. Sometimes we run
slower than the race demands and sometimes we're kicking our butts to
run a 100M race that is really 400M. I love the Gospel :).

So,
companionship inventory? Remember how I said I thought I could get
along with pretty much everyone? MAYBE I just said that to myself. Um,
HOLY backfire. Hahahahahaha!! I have two comps like I said earlier,
Sister Lewis (from Orem) and Sister Kirvenen (from Finland). Me and
Sister Kirvenen were NOT the best of friends after a week. Last
Thursday was the peak of it and I KNOW it was divine help to have a
third companion added before this happened haha. We had a comp
inventory that night and OH mama. Tears, emotions, frustration, fear,
deep depression in fact! (butchered, but quote for Lydia from Chicken
Little) Haha Mom, I don't know WHAT the English or even Irish had
against the Fins back a bazillion years ago, but I think it came up at
our comp inventory. Hahahaha we talked, got out our judgements, moved
on, and I'm not kidding, we're all three the BEST friends I've almost
ever had. Hopefully some ancestral past fights were cleared some. It
was bad but we talk and laugh about it now. It is a witness that you
could marry ANYone that has the same standards and make it work. Oh
man. Heavenly Father has a sense of humor like no one I know.

Jake!!
Congrats on going through the temple!! I wish I could have been
there. I'm working hard in the ranks waitin for ya :). Broadcast on Sunday??
SO good!! So so so good. It was a sweet experience for me to see Grandpa Packer speak! I totally bawled when he spoke. So much power and
exactly what I needed to hear. I know that the best place I could be is HERE. I'm not missing out on anything at home.
It's fun to hear about it and yesterday was actually the first bit of
homesickness I've felt this whole time. But I know I've got other
experiences for me here. Oh and Janice Kapp Perry came to speak last
night at Devo (devotional). Bawled my eyes out.

Thursday, June 20, 2013

HOLY beans. Um my spirit bum has been worked SO hard. We work from 6:30-9:00 every day. Work work work. But it's more like play play play :).
BreAnne: THANK you for your letter!! I loved it SO much :). I was so
happy to hear from the fam. I haven't worried about anyone or felt
homesick like at all....sorry.....ha but I love hearing from those that
write.

Um so
I knew this work was true before I came out here. I know the miracles
that can happen and that prayer, study, obedience is crucial. But THIS
is unbelievable. I know SO many already know what I'm talking about,
but it's down to such a wire that it blows your mind.

I LOVE speaking German. Remember how I was happy to go
anywhere BUT German speaking? Haha Alpine GERMAN-speaking mission....
No haha but I freaking love this language SO much. I could pray and
bear my testimony in German on day 3 and it only gets better. I would
not be afraid to go out now to the field and just take a whack at it
:). I think about Grandpa Packer's blessing when I was set apart ALL
the time. I have NO fear. Ever. What an incredible thing to be blessed
with. I guess I must need it with the people of Germany, Switzerland,
and Austria!

I have two companions right now Sister Kirvenen
(care-veenen, with a rolled R) and Sister Lewis. Sister Kirvenen is
from Finland and speaks fluent Finnish, English, some Japanese, some
Swedish, and is excellent auf Deutch. She's incredible. It's been hard
working with her because, Lydia, remember your brain book? She has a
really hard time sitting and focusing sometimes, but I'm so happy to
have her determined spirit. It's been a blessing. I love the practice
of looking at strengths no weaknesses. Cultures are different and it's
having companion inventory, figuring out what we mean when we do what
and then getting back to work. I love her and her sarcastic humor which
I was offended by at first, but now I just love her for it.
Sister
Lewis is a GEM. So I mentioned that I was made the Sister Training
Leader day 3 right? All sisters should, but I check girls clothes and
will remind them if it's not quite modest. I told Sister Lewis once and
she immediately went and changed. ZERO drama. Then today she went
through her clothes and said, "Hey what do you think was too short that I
should send home?" Um OH-kay. Gem. She's had a harder time with
German and tends to spout little Spanish words every now and then haha
but she's a hoot and keeps us all laughing.

Ok and then there's the girls from Scotland. HOLY
freaking hilarious. Their accents crack me up. It doesn't matter what
they say. Funny story. Sister Mcewen (Mick-Q-en, so Scottish right??)
Is in our room and she says things like, "That's a bloomin ____".
HOLY hilarious. I can't help but laugh my head off.

I'm out of time. But I love it here so much. The work
is incredible and the Lord delivers us. I'll write a letter with some
German in it :). Love you all!! Thank you for your prayers! If you
could, pray for a Sister Couper (also from Scotland) and for Sister
Maata (from Finalnd as well). They've had a hard time adjusting.
Foreign students have had a harder time but I love 'em so much. Good
faith!

Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Dear Family!
HOLY beans. First day. Check. When they say your immersed in the work your first day, they're not kidding. We're led away by a host to our rooms which, first miracle of the day, was Christie Bunnell! I like started tearing up when I saw her, not sure why... I think a tsunami of emotions and one familiar face made my whole world feel peaceful.
We went straight to our trainers who spoke ZERO English. But we're speaking our language 100% or at least what we know at ALL times. It's super fun! Yes yes there's SO much to take in, but letting myself get overwhelmed isn't the best way to cope. So I just keep smiling and make it a game :). I LOVE the MTC.
My first companion!! She's from FINLAND, k and I'm already picking up her accent. Her name is Sister Kervina (care-veena) and is a GEM. Seriously. Instant best friends? Ya, they happen. I get her for 6 whole weeks! Yeah!! :D Laughing and playing the speak the Deutch we DON'T know.
I'll write more about the sisters in my room, some from Scotland, another from Finland, Utah, Utah... I think ... haha a lot to remember. All the accents rock :).
2nd miracle: saw sister Rachel Lieshman form UVCC. 3rd miracle: Brought an extra face scrub totally last minute without thinking too much about it and turns out I left my first one at home. heavenly Father is watching out for me. Oh, 4th miracle. My little closet was LOADED with hangers and no one else's were. So I gave some extras out, but had enough to hand up some things :).
I love you all SO much. They've got good multi-tasking tactics here. Work so hard that you don't think about home. Ha ask me in a week... Anyway :). Talk to ya'll soon!
Love,
Sister Packer

Elder Jacob Packer

Sister Nicole Packer

Alpine German Speaking Mission

Mission Began:

June 12, 2013

Returned Home:

December 5, 2014

Mailing Information...

...can be found at the bottom of the page! Kori and Lydia don't have a lot of time at the computer to read or respond to emails (although they can print them most of the time??). They LOVE getting letters in the mail. You can always send them to the mission home address if we don't have a current transfer address, but that could take some time before it gets to them. We are doing our best to get updated mailing addresses when Kori or Lydia are transferred!!